622 SLX Review Published in Red Kite Prayer

Seven Cycles' bikes have found their way into many glowing reviews by experienced cyclists who ride bikes - many brands and types - regularly. Highly-respected cycling blog Red Kite Prayer and blogger, Patrick Brady AKA Padrig, wrote a full review (in two parts) on the Seven 622 SLX, the newest bike innovation which incorporates the best-of features developed at Seven Cycles, a company committed to serious R&D. Hearing from someone who is around many other kinds of bikes and people who ride other bikes is educational for us.

For example, after the Shimano tech assembled the Seven 622 SLX alongside many other bikes he'd built up with the Dura-Ace 9000 group, the tech approached Padrig. According to Padrig:

"He wanted to make clear to me that of all the bikes that they assembled for this shindig, the Seven was the easiest to install the group on, the most fun to work on because the cable routing was so straightforward, and all the fittings and threads so perfectly cut."

Sometimes we take the ease of working on and with Seven's bikes for granted. It's nice to be reminded of details like this that aren't trivial.

We have two 622 SLX demo bikes here. We received the first of these demo bikes very soon after the 622 was introduced to the market. This was also before any reviews came in about it. It was impressive: its inaugural demo rider, after taking the bike on a century ride, came back and told us, "That bike made all of the difference." He immediately scheduled his custom kit conversation and fitting. A few short weeks later, we delivered a custom 622 SLX built for him which he's been riding with joy ever since. Our other 622 customers have all returned from their demo rides with the same I've-just-been-blown-away reaction. These customers are very discerning and did a lot of demo riding prior to coming to the 622 SLX.

Padrig describes the vibration-control qualities of the bike:

"The ride is ice-cream smooth, quieter than a field of wheat on a windless night, and more comfortable than your mother’s arms."

He discusses the ride qualities of this bike extensively.

"While the 622 slx attenuates vibration, I need to be clear that this frame is not lifeless. It’s far from that."

He continues:

"Once you...just focus on the qualities that will make a bike enjoyable on group rides, on solo rides, at long gran fondos and short recovery rides, this bike does it all very well. It was yet another occasion of packing a bike in a box only under duress. I’d have continued to ride it regularly."

The 622 SLX is a road bike and, like all Sevens, can be outfitted and designed for almost anything beyond road riding. It is a proven race machine and an "everything" bike. Ride Studio Cafe Endurance Team member Matt Roy is testing the limits of the 622 and can't seem to find them. Matt and his bike are endurance racing machines. They appear to be a perfect match for each other. He recently loaded up the bike and rode it from Oregon to Colorado logging 100+ mile days. Matt is, like the other 622 riders we know, astounded by its many qualities.

"This bike can endure," Matt says. "It's an endurance bike, made for 200+ mile days, races, 40c tires and it can take a rack. It's literally the bike you can do anything with: race it in a cross race, road race, do a brevet or tour with it."

Matt summarized his glowing review of the bike: "Is it the perfect bike? Yeah... I love it."

Email us to reserve a demo ride on the 622 if you want to see what everyone is talking about.

For another good look at the 622 from every angle, see this 622 SLX video, too, made by Bike Radar.